Ironing board and closet construction



Nov. 8, 1932. El SOUClE 1,886,983

IRONING BOARD AND GLOSET CONSTRUCTION /1 Homey A' Patented Nov.I 8, 1932ELOI soUcIE, or Miss'oULmmoNTANA yraoNINe BonRnANn cLosEr coNsrnUcTIoN`Application lediDeceinber 21, 1931. Serial No.`582,437.

s This invention relates to a novel built-in ironing board andconcealing protective closet combination. It is a matter of common Lknowledge that retractible and projectible.

duplex ironing-board ensembles in combination withconcealing closets,are not new, for which reason I feel called upon, by way ofintroduction, to state that the present inventiveconstruction,comprehends appreciableire- "10 neme'nts 'and improvementsin an arrangement of this class calculated toy better fulll ing links18. This sleeve board 16 is indethe requirements of such a construction.j

, One featrejof the improvements is predi-ly .cated upon the novel guideand retention 'T15 means for the main board in conjunction with a highlypractical type of prop forsaid board,

and a feasible operating connection between the propv and board,wherein-said parts arev explicitly designed and co-operable to facili-'tate adjustment and operation. Other stru'cturalfeatures and advantagesof the invention will-become more readily apparent from' the following'description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation with the closet closedand the boardconcealed therein;

Figure'2 is a view in section and elevation l disclosing theconstruction and relationship of parts. f

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary seetion` and elevation disclosingthe relationship of'parts when the boards are collapsed com-v pletelywithin the closet;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section. Figure isa front elevation of theswingably mounted prop for the main board.

' In the drawings,l the closet is generallyy designated by the numeral 6andthe hinged di', A door bythe numeral 7. These parts may be f of anysuitable construction. v Referring to the interior of the closethowever, it will be observed that I provide two ,L sets of battens orrails for each vertical sideo. wall of the closet. These battens are inthe nature of wooden strips of appropriate dimeny Y sions, the innermoststrip being' denoted by the numeral 8, ythe outermost strip at 9, and

the intermediate strip at 10. This triple ar' rangement ofqstripsprovides an inner percenter and the lower ends of said shoesso thatguideway 11p-and an outer `guide Along longitudinal edges of thiswidened part 15 arereinforcing metal straps 17 as seen in Figure 4 andpivotally vconnected `to these* straps and depending therefrom aresupportpendently operable with respect to the main ironing board v19.

Pivotally attached tothe inner endr of 'this' ,e

board 19 are self-adjusting guide and retaining shoes 20, andthese areshaped toride up and down in the guideways 12 and to assume an inclinedor cantedstate as represented in Figure 2 to support the' board 19 in ahori-y i zontal operative position. In this connection I call attentionto the inner edges ofthe strips 9 which are serrated so that theserrations define vertically spaced stops 21 with which the lower buttends of Athe retainingl shoes or"4 cleats 20 co-operate. e

It is to be observed that the pivotal coni nection between the shoes andadjacent inner end of the board 19 is at a point between the when theboard 19 is in a horizontal support.- ing position as seen in Figure 2and it is desired to drop it back into the cabinet, all that isnecessary is to impart a sharp blow to the outer free end of said board,thereby exerting an inward thrust against the lower end portion of theshoes 20 to unseat the shoes and to allow them to ride downwardly to thelower ends `of the guideways 12. l

In setting the board 19 v it is drawn perpen'. dicularly. upV to thedesired elevation and then suddenly pulled outwardly so as to trip theshoes 20 into a retaining position as represented in Figure 2.

The prop 22 comprisesa panel having its lower end bifurcated. Thefurcations 23 are the strips 9. The upper end is also bifurcated and thefurcations are provided with anti-friction rollers 24 engageableslidably with the underside of the board 19. The

intermediate portion is formed with a kerf 25 in which the lower endportion of an operating link 26 is pivoted as indicated at 27. 5. Theopposite end of the link is pivoted at 28 in a similar kerf 29 formed inthe inner end of the board 19. In this way, an operatingconnection isafforded between the prop and the main board so that when the latter ispulled up and out the link 26 automatically adjusts the prop to aninclinedboard sustaining position. rI`he aforesaid legs or llinks 18 onthe small sleeve board are pivotally connected to the inner end :oftheboard 19. It is obvious however that the sleeve board 16 y:isindependently adjustable. In other words it may be either confined inthe closet or-swung out to vertical superposed position `above themainboard as represented in Fig- ('20 `ure-2 according to the discretion ofthe user.

It tis obvious from the foregoing that there are actually two lironingboard units, the

main unit comprising the board 19, prop 22,'

operating `link connection 26, and shoes lthe small board unit Ahavingits individual retaining means and guideways as well as supporting linksor legs 18. Both boards ,however are disposed to co-operate in asimplified and dependable manner.

Novelty 'is thought to reside in the guideways 12 of a closet whereinthe outer guide defining strips 9 are serrated so that the ser- .rationsperform as vertically superposed stops for Aadjustable selectiveco-operation of the'shoes 20. A Afurther point of novelty isbelievedtobe found in the particular shape of the elongated cleat-like shoes 20having vone bevelled end co-operating with the adjacent edges of Vthestrip 10 andthe other butt end selectively engageable with the stop 21,in conjunction with a pivotal connection between the inner end-of theboard 19 and said shoes 20 wherein the pivotal connection is disposedbetween the center and butt end of said shoes.

y Moreover, individuality of construction is believed to reside in the.fiXedly pivoted roller Iequipped prop 22 ywhich is self-adjustingthrough the action of the novel adjusting and stay link 26, all 4ofthese parts being carefully selected and mechanically joined "to shareproportionately in producing a simplified structure which is `positiveand dependable in action, smooth in operation, and Votherwise eflicientin performance in fulfill- `irlig the desired result of a structure ofthis c ass.

In each board, the underside is formed `with grooves or channels, andthe marginal edgeportien of the cover is rolled around individual keeperrods 31 which are forced intothe channels and held in place.Accordingly,the board covers can be removed and replaced expeditiouslyvfor sake of cleanlimovable lin the `guideways 12; together with ness.The drawings show but two end grooves with the rod therein, and as themeans for attaching the cover to the board forms no part of myinvention, it is not -thought that further illustration of such 7@ scopeofthe appended claims.

. I claim so 1. In a structure of the class-described, in combination,an open front closet formed withopposed vertical guideways along itsopposite sides, an ironing board, a pair of duplicate cleats pivotallyconnected to the 8 innerend of said board and movable in said guideways,said guideways being fashioned with stops with which said cleats areadjustably and releasably engageable, a prop hav-p ing its lower endlixedly pivoted in the closet and its upper end slidably contacting theunderside of the inner end portion of the board, and a link pivotallyconnected to the inner end of the board and intermediate portion ofthe`prop for automatically setting the prop;

2. In a structure of the class described,in combination, an open frontcloset, a closing door therefor, pairs of opposed vertical stripsfastened to the interior of the side walls of said closet and spacedapart to define vertical guideways, the inner edge of the two outerstrips being serrated and said serrations de- `fining vertically spacedretaining stops, a pair of duplicate block-like shoes slidable andAtiltable in said guideways, an ironing board having its inner endpivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the slices, in amanner to permit the shoes to be elevated lwithout obstruction to thedesired point andthen canted diagonally with respect to theV 1longitudinal center of the guideways lfor holding the board and shoes ina predetermined selected position, a prop comprising a panel lixedlypivoted at its lower end beftween the outer strips, anti-frictionrollers on the upper end portion of the prop slidably contacting theunderside of the board, a link pivotally connected at its upper end tothe inner end of the board and pivotally con-V 120 nected at its lowerend to the intermediate portion of the prop.

3. In an ironing board and cabinet construction of the class described,a vertically elongated open front cabinet having a hinged 12, closingdoor, two groups of strips secured to d the inner surfaces of thevertical side walls of said cabinet, to form guideways, the inner edgesof the outer strips being serrated to provide vertically spaced seatingstops, r a pair of block-like shoes, slidable in LW 1,sse,9ss y theguideways, each shoe comprising a. block having a bevelled end and alutt end, the butt end being adapted lto engage the stops selectively andthe bevelled end to bear against theI inner walls of the guideway toallow said shoes to movek either up and down in the guideways ortoassume oanted retaining positions, an ironing board having its inner endportion pivoted to the intermediate portion of said shoes, the point ofconnection being between the center and butt ends of the shoes, a propixedly pivoted between the lower end portions 0f the outermost strip,anti-friction rollers secured to the upper end portions of said prop andslidably contacting the underside of the board: when the latter is inoperative position, a: prop actuating and stay link pivotally conneotedat its upper endk to the inner end of' the board and at its lower end t0the intermediate portion of the rop.

In testimony whereo I affix my signature.

ELOI SOUCIE.

